- Mick Wallace
-
Mick Wallace TD Teachta Dála Incumbent Assumed office
February 2011Constituency Wexford Personal details Born 9 November 1955 [1] Nationality Irish Political party Independent Alma mater University College Dublin Website mickwallace.net Mick Wallace (born 9 November 1955) is an Irish independent politician, property developer and former football manager.[2]
Contents
Early life
He was born in Wellingtonbridge, Wexford. Wallace holds a policy of recruiting only County Wexford based players and has invested much money in the Youth's playing facilities at Ferrycarrig Park.[3]
Wallace graduated from University College Dublin with a degree in English, History and Philosophy. He obtained a teaching degree in 1983 but went into the construction industry shortly afterwards and eventually progressed to the civil engineering end of the game, concentrating mostly on work in Dublin for the City Council. At a later stage, the company progressed to carrying out their own development work and well-known projects including the Italian Quarter on Ormond Quay. His company has also extended into the food and wine industry with a number of Italian wine bar restaurants, importing food and wine from Italy and growing some of their own wine in Piemonte, all trading under the name of Wallace Calcio Ltd.
He is a former manager of League of Ireland side Wexford Youths Football Club having earlier been manager of Wexford's underage sides prior to their entry to the league in 2007.[1][4]
Political career
On 5 February 2011, while a guest on political programme Tonight with Vincent Browne, Wallace made the surprise announcement that he intended to contest the next general election to be held on 25 February as an independent candidate. He won a seat at the 2011 general election, topping the poll in the Wexford constituency with 13,329 votes.[5]
He often wears pink shirts which brought him to immediate public attention.[6]
In May 2011, Wallace said that he faced personal financial ruin and possibly the loss of his Dáil seat, if banks were to chase him for personal guarantees following the appointment of receivers to his assets. Wallace properties includes much of the Italian Quarter in Dublin's city centre and the Ferrycarrig Sports Complex in his native Wexford, home to Wallace's Wexford Youths soccer team.[7][8]
Two months later, referring to Mary Mitchell O'Connor, he said “Miss Piggy has toned it down a bit today" but later apolgised saying “It’s hard to defend the indefensible. I'm very sorry for the offence caused to Mary Mitchell O'Connor. I'm completely out of order.”[9]
On 10 October 2011, the Commercial Court ordered Wallace to repay more than €19 million owed to ACCBank.[10][11] He said he did not have the money.[12][13][14]
References
- ^ a b "Mick Wallace: Biography". League of Ireland. http://www.loi.ie/index.php/clubs/first-division/wexford-youths/latest-news/238-mick-wallace. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ "Mr. Mick Wallace". Oireachtas Members Database. http://oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=0&HouseNum=31&MemberID=2310&ConstID=181. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ "All systems go for Wexford F.C.". Wexford Echo. 15 February 2007. http://www.wexfordecho.ie/news/story/?trs=cwojcwqlmh.
- ^ "Renaissance Man: Emily Hourican deconstructs the enigma of philanthropist Mick Wallace". The Dubliner. June 2002. http://www.thedubliner.ie/the_dubliner_magazine/2007/04/renaissance_man.html. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ "Mick Wallace". ElectionsIreland.org. http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=6103. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ "Sartorial freedom fighters or the emperor's new clothes?". Irish Independent. 16 July 2011. http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/sartorial-freedom-fighters-or-the-emperors-new-clothes-2823143.html.
- ^ "Wallace: I face ruin". Irish Independent. 25 May 2011. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/wallace-i-face-ruin-2656616.html.
- ^ "Receiver appointed to properties of Mick Wallace TD". Irish Independent. 24 May 2011. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/receiver-appointed-to-properties-of-mick-wallace-td-2656355.html.
- ^ "Miss Piggy remark was wrong, I’m so sorry – Mick apologises". Irish Independent. 13 July 2011. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/miss-piggy-remark-was-wrong-irsquom-so-sorry-ndash-mick-apologises-2820386.html.
- ^ "Mick Wallace ordered to repay €19m to ACC Bank"". RTÉ News. 10 October 2011. http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1010/wallacem.html.
- ^ "TD Wallace ordered to repay €19m in bank loans". TheJournal.ie. 10 October 2011. http://www.thejournal.ie/td-wallace-ordered-to-repay-e19m-in-bank-loans-250380-Oct2011/.
- ^ "Wallace: I can't pay money back". Irish Examiner. 10 October 2011. http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/wallace-i-cant-pay-money-back-523804.html.
- ^ "Wallace: I cannot pay 19m euro". The Belfast Telegraph. 10 October 2011. http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/republic-of-ireland/wallace-i-cannot-pay-19m-euro-16061829.html.
- ^ "Mick Wallace doesn’t have €19million for bank". Newstalk. 10 October 2011. http://www.newstalk.ie/2011/featured-5-slideshow-homepage/top-5-at-5-mick-wallace-doesnt-have-e19million-for-bank/.
External links
Oireachtas Preceded by
Seán Connick
(Fianna Fáil)Independent Teachta Dála for Wexford
2011–presentIncumbent Categories:- 1955 births
- Living people
- League of Ireland managers
- Republic of Ireland football managers
- Members of the 31st Dáil
- Independent politicians in Ireland
- Teachtaí Dála
- People from County Wexford
- Alumni of University College Dublin
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